AussieBoer

No, I don’t think that this Lions team is better than the 1971, 1974 nor 2009 teams. I just think the Wallabies won’t be good enough for this fast-pace-aggressive-direct-rugby with a twist style of Warren Gatland’s Lions. Remember he is a kiwi at heart and that is how they play rugby!

The fact that Robbie Deans is gambling on James O’Connor to be in the pivotal role, while he has mostly played beyond the number 10 jersey for the ‘green & gold’ (hate it when the Aussies refer to themselves as that – they are canary yellow and green!), is the big gamble. If it pays off, the Wallabies have a shot. The fact that the first test will be played in Brisvegas (Wallabies fortress especially vs the Springboks) is the only other reason why I think the Wallabies might have a slim chance.

A Lions series win of 3-0 is not impossible: however, they will have to beat the Lions in Brisneyland first up. With injuries etc (unclear when they will be fit) to Scott Higginbotham, Digby Ioane, Berrick Barnes and George Smith etc who would you pick for the Wallabies?

My WALLABY TEAM:

14: Israel Feloa   15: Kurtley Beale  11: James O’Connor

13: Adam Ashley-Cooper  12: Christian Lealiifano

10: Berrick Barnes  9: Will Genia

8: George Smith  7:  Michael Hooper  6: Scott Higgingbotham

5: James Horwill  4: Rob Simmons

3: Ben Alexander  2: Stephen Moore  1: Ben Robinson

While the Lions will have powerfull and big direct backline players, the above Wallby backline will have pouches full of X-factor and game breaking skills in them.

Oor die Bok-groep kan daar nie te veel gekla word nie, behalwe dat Piet van Zyl baie ongelukkig kan voel dat Ruan Pienaar bo hom gekies is. Die grootste skok of besonders insluiting is die van Lourens Adriaanse. Bewys twee dinge: SA het nie ‘n bron van toetsgehalte vaskoppe nie, en Heyneke Meyer het die idee van Coenie Oosthuizen as Dokter Jannie se langtermyn opvolger laat vaar.

Hopelik sal jong manne soos Jan Serfontein, Arno Botha, Siya Kolisi en Pieter Steph-du Tioit kans gegee word. Hul is goed genoeg om teen die standaard opponente, en dit in Suid Afrika, getoets te word. Kies Willie le Roux maak nie saak of dit op heelagter of vleuel is nie. Hy het iets van die ‘prins van vleuels’ in hom!

Yes, we must win all the tests in this meaningless tournament organised in the Republic during June. OK, with the British & Irish Lions ‘down under’ and the Le Blues ‘across the ditch’, there wasn’t alot to pick from for the Boks to play against. It is, however, time for Heyneke Meyer to experiment with young players that he already made part of the Bok structures. It is the perfect opportunity to give them a go vs these minnows, rather than in the Championship tournament.

Injuries will force Mr Meyer anyhow to make changes, but, this could be the great opportunity for youngsters like Jan Serfontein, Frans Malherbe, Peter Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi and Raymond Rhule to get test caps. The big issue will be the ‘general’ position. Morne Steyn playing behind a very steady Bulls pack and winning team is on form the best flyhalf option. Patrick Lambie, in a struggling Sharks outift, was steady to good, but, not game breaking. I still believe that the Lambie type is the way forward for the Boks and not Steyn. I still believe a fit Johan Goosen is it, but, then expecting him to finish a season without injuries….I have a better chance falling pregnant.

Met beserings in aggenome en spelers wat hul heil oorsee gaan soek en hul pensioen ‘n moerse hupstoot gaan gee; kies jou Bokspan vir hierdie komende toetse. Wie nie waag nie gaan nie wen op die langtermyn nie.

Kevin D’s Bok team:

14: Gio Aplon   15: Willie le Roux (Patrick Lambie)  11: Bryan Habana (Raymond Rhule)

13: Juan de Jongh (Jan Serfontein)  12: Jean de Villiers (C)

10: Patrick Lambie (Morne Steyn)   9: Francois Hougaard (Jano Vermaak)

6: Francois Louw (Marcell Coetzee)  8: Arno Botha    7: Willem Alberts (Siya Kolisi)

5: Pieter Steph du Toit (Juandre Kruger)  4: Eben Etsebeth

3: Jannie du Plessis (Frans Malherbe)  2: Andriaan Strauss (Bismarck du Plessis) 1: Beast Mtawarira (Coenie Oosthuizen)

players in (): as I would rotate them due to all the rugby in the season without cheapening the Bok-jersey.

Put your balls on the guillotine: my picks in bold

Crusaders vs Warathas

Brumbies vs Hurricanes

Highlanders vs Blues

Reds vs Rebels

Stormers vs Kings

Cheetahs vs Bulls

The SA flagship has sunk. The Stormers fans and players realise it is over. Does the flagship have enough life boats to win the next 5 games. Four at home and one in the ‘friendly city’! Heaps of injuries and an outdated game plan. This is the time for the Stormers to throw caution to the wind and adapt a Chiefs-attitude and run like cheetahs!

The Reds will be motivate for sure. Chasing a top spot in the Aussie conference and Quade Cooper trying to convince Robbie Deans will be enough for the Brisvegas boys to come out firing on all cillinders. The dismantled Stormers have pride and Springbok positions to play for.

The Cheetahs will be too strong for the Kings in PE, however, expect this to be a cracker with plenty of tries. The Sharks even at home will be edge by the inform Bulls. This will be an aerial ping-pong dual so get some knitting out. Patrick Lambie vs Morne Steyn will be the more important dual for the Springbok number 10 jumper!

Put your balls on the guillotine:  my picks in bold.

Chiefs vs Crusaders  /  Rebels vs Warathas  /  Blues vs Brumbies

Force vs Highlanders   /  Kings vs Cheetahs   /  Stormers vs Reds   /  Sharks vs Bulls

Bloggers:

Redge: Crusaders Waratahs Blues Force Cheetahs Stormers Sharks

With a lot of anticipation here ‘down under’ about the British & Irish Lions tour, Israel Folau made the Wallabies squad after not yet played a full season of ‘the game they play in heaven’ The Tongan born, Falou, was a huge star for the Melbourne Storm and Brisbane Broncos in rugby league before he became the marquee AFL player in Sydney to try and get some league fans to support the new formed West Sydney team.

He played mostly wing (also centre) in league and represented Australia and also Queensland in the State of Orign which is much bigger than test rugby in league.

I still have my doubts about his kicking abillity. Yes, he did get in a few  good punts this season, but, in test rugby where there is less time and much more pressure, he is still untested. His great abillity to jump high for the ball was one of the main reasons why AFL bought him so he would be great if targeted with Gary Owens.

I would pick him on the right wing for the Wallabies, not fullback. He can win or lose the series for them.

Questions:

Is he as good as it gets?

Is he a super star like $onny Bill Williams or better?

Should he have been picked for the Wallabies even though there are rumours he might return to league next year?

What position would you play him?

Yes, I’m a Stormer fan and yes, they are not good enough this year. Injuries is part and parcel of SupeRugby so, I don’t use that as an excuse. It is, however, pathetic when officials get it so wrong. Daylight robbery is what happened on Friday night in Melbourne.

Yes, it is fantastic that the minnows are capable of beating the so called top dogs and this years competition is very unpredictable which is great for this format. It is just wrong with all the technology that not just the on field referees, but, also the Tele-ref is poor and cause a team to loose.

Numerous Stormers line-out drives were stopped illegally. The penalty try was more than harsh. Yes, Martin Bezuidenhout had a ‘front row’ brain explosion and did pull Nick Phibbs back; however, there were two knock-ons in the lead up to the try. I’m aware that the refs now do consider, rightfully so, that if the tackler knocks the ball out of the carriers possession in a full contact legal tackle, it is not a knock-on. Scott Higgingbotham did not execute a proper tackle when his hand knocked the ball out of the Stormers players hand, thus a knock-on in my book.

The Stormers has not improved in adapting their game plan that worked the last two years. Build on a Berlin-wall defense system with playing the territorial game and converting penalies, is outdated.Poor tactical kciking especially from Dewald Duvenhage and Joe Pietersen was unacceptable. It worked better the previous years when Peter Grant was in the 10 jersey. Elton Jantjies is  a waste of money and I hope that WP doesn’t sign him permanently. It’s time to give the young Timo Swiel ago! Go big or go home!

Piet van Zyl and Sarel Pretorius surely do not prefer the bench; so WPRU must try and get one of them or Rory Kockott to join them for next year.

The Stormers must now win their last 5 games to restore some lost pride. They can beat the Reds, Cheethas, Kings (also an away game) and Bulls at home. Too little too late though. Go Stormers!

A more attacking Stormers outfit (seven changes to the one that lost against the Warathas) should be good enough to beat the Rebels in the Victorian capital on Friday. Injuries and some rotation are main reasons for these changes.

Could more have been done? For sure; Nic Groom is the best attacking and unpredictable Stormers ‘oven feeder’ and this has been the Capies biggest weakness the last few season. Louis Schreuder (can’t believe he got a call up to Bok training camp – what was Heyneke Meyer thinking?) is to slow and no threat to any opposition. His attempts to breaking around the fringes is predictable and his service to slow.

Ironies dat die Bokkaptein nie ‘gerus’ of wat is die fancy woord (?), roteer word nie. O ja, die Stormers MOET nou al hul wedstryde wen en hoop dat van die voorlopers die spanne wat vir posisies 4,5 en 6 meeding, klop. Wiskundige kan die SA Vlagskip dit nogsteeds die Top 6 maak, maar Wiskunde is mos normaal weg nie sterkpunte van rugbyspelers nie

DHL Stormers team: Joe Pietersen, Gio Aplon, Juan de Jongh, Jean de Villiers (captain), Bryan Habana, Elton Jantjies, Louis Schreuder, Nizaam Carr, Siya Kolisi, Deon Fourie, Andries Bekker, Eben Etzebeth, Pat Cilliers, Scarra Ntubeni, Steven Kitshoff.

Replacements: Martin Bezuidenhout, Frans Malherbe, Gerbrandt Grobler, Don Armand, Nic Groom, Gary van Aswegen, Gerhard van den Heever.

Hierdie naweek gaan ‘balle getjop’ word op die valbyl! Behalwe die Bulle, kan al die wedstryde enige kant toe gaan. Selfs die Force in Perthontein kan moeilik wees en aangesien die Haaie blykbaar nie in dieselfde rigting swem nie, kan hul stomp tande finaal getrek word. Die Haaie het egter nogsteeds genoeg ‘witdoodhaaie’ en Patrick Lambie en JP Pietersen kan ‘groot happe’ vat. Willem Alberts se ‘bulshark’ aggressie sal ook baie nutig wees.

Die gepikkelde katte sal in SA se ‘kakste stad’ die Rooigevaar van Brisvegas moet tem. Verloor die Cheetahs nou verder momentum, sal dit hul baie bevredigende seisoen sover kwes.

PUT your BALLS on the GUILLOTINE: my pick in bold

Hurricanes vs Chiefs

Rebels vs Stormers

Force vs Sharks

Crusaders vs Blues

Warathas vs Brumbies

Bulls vs Highalnders

Cheethas vs Reds

For Stormers fans it feels like it is all over. Bryan Habana for all the good he has done on numerous occassion, has lost another game, as he has done many times for the Springboks as well, by rushing up and not staying in his defensive line. Berrick Barnes is a footballer and Habana’s brain explosion made it easier for Barnes to slightly delay his pass to the ever impressing giant called Israel Feloa. Feloa scored and it was good night Stormers!

I’m not blaming Habana for the poor season the Stormers has had. Poor unimanginitive attack play especially from first phase ball, has been part of the Stormers set up the last 3 years. Defense wins you World Cups, but, this is SupeRugby and scoring tries wins you this.

The Stormers has a great defensive system where two players target the ball carrier and try and tackle him back so the Stormers will be on the front foot and turn defense in to offense. On attack they try to take the ball through phases, win penalites and either convert this into three points or go for touch and try and score a try from a lineout drive. Exciting? Not, predictable and boring yes!

Met beserings aan die ‘enforcers’, Duane Vermeulen en Rynardt Elstad gaan dit knor hiervandaan. Die Rebelle wag nou in Melbourne en hul kan driee maak en druk. Hul het nou al die Chiefs, Crusaders en Blues tot in die pylvlak gedruk! James O’Connor se verlies kan dalk die Stormers ‘n ietwat van ‘n positiewe aansporing gee. Verloor hul hierdie een is dit beslis neusie verby om selfs die Top 6 te haal. Dit gaan in elk geval knor omdat hul alreeds agt punte die Crusaders, elf punte agter die Blues en ses punte agter die Cheethas is.

Vermeulen is besring maak nou weer die deur oop vir Pierre ‘skouponie’ Spies in die Junie toetse!

It is becoming crunch time for many teams still inspiring to make the Top 6 for this years Super15 glory. With the numeorus upsets this year, Kings winning two games and a draw vs Brumbies in Canberra, Force beating the Crusaders etc the race is still open for many. Realistically only the Rebels, Force, Kings and Highlanders are not in the race anymore.

For the Stormers and Sharks losing more than two more games is a luxury they can afford from here on. They will also need a lot of luck and for other teams to upset more. The Sharks have the Reds in Brisneyland this weekend. It is a place where they normally struggle, although they did break down the Reds’ ‘fortress’ in the playoffs last year! Injuries will let the bookies favour the Brisvegas boys; however, that might play in the hands of the Durban boys and just maybe the banana peel needed for the Reds to slip on.

Ek het besluit om die Haaie wedstryd mis te loop en vlieg Vrydag af Shitney toe om my Capies te ondersteun. Die Waratahs is besig om stem dik te maak en dit is die regte tyd van die wedloop om te begin. Verloor hul is hul kanse ook amper daarmee heen. Die Stormers se verdediging is puik, veral hul ‘skarrel verdediging’! Tog sal hul takitese skoppe drasties moet verbeter. Dryfgemale vanaf lynstane moet hul nommer een wapen wees en dan moet punte op ‘n skinkbord opgeraap word.

Interessant dat Israel Folau nou as die groot gevaar gesien word. Dat hy ‘n ongelooflik sportman is, betwyfel weinig. ‘n Ster in Rugbyliga (het  Queensland en Australie verteenwoordig) en ook ‘n ‘bemarkers-lokaas’ vir twee jaar in Shitney vir AFL), waar hy geen ondervinding gehad het nie (dus asgevolg van sy vermoë om hoog te kan spring en kompeteer in die lug)  en nou ‘n Rugby speler is, bewys dit. Feloa is slegs vir die huidige Super15 gekontrakteer: $250 000. Robbie Deans (kies hy hom teen die Britse en Ierse Leeus?) en die ARU het hier dus ‘n tamelatjie want daar is gerugte dat Feloa volgende jaar weer wil terugkeer liga toe.

Nou lees ek dat verskeie gurus reken dat Folau nie getoets moet word met ‘bomme’ nie want hy is fantasties onder die ‘gary owens (vernoem na die Ierse klub Limerick wat jare terug die ‘up & unders’ as hul groot wapen gehad het)’. Ek verskil.

Nou wat gemaak dan? Hier is Feloa se leemtes.

Hy dra die bal soos ‘n dom vleuel onder die verkeerde arm wanneer hy na links aanval. In Rugbyliga was hy ‘n regtervleuel, en in liga soek vleuels nie werk nie; so hy is net gewoond om die bal onder die regterarm te dra. Dus kan hy nie die verdediger afstamp nie. As hy met teenaanvalle begin ‘dwing’ hom na links. Al kan hy die ‘bomme’ uit die lug pluk, hy kan nie skop nie. So wag vir hom dat sy voete grond raak en lem hom dan. Hy het nooit geskop in Liga nie en AFL is ander tegniek en kleiner bal. As hy merk, wees gereed dat hy dalk mag tik en aan iemand anders gee om te skop. Hy moet nes $onny Bill Williams’ ge-grass cut’ word. Hul is albei groot en kan die bal in die duikslag versprei, maar as jou bene onder jou uitgeneem word, is dit baie moeiliker vir daai towerkunsie!

Balle op die Guillotine: my picks in bold.

KevinD: Chiefs vs Force / Reds vs Sharks / Cheetahs vs Hurricanes

Blues vs Rebels / Warathas vs Stormers / Highlanders vs Kings

Bloggers: 

Redge: Chiefs Reds Cheetahs Blues Stormers Highlanders

Baylion: Chiefs Reds Cheetahs Blues Stormers,Highlanders

South Africa will have a new Flagship (winner of SA franchise trophy) in 2013. The Stormers were good to very poor against an outplayed Blues team. With some ridiculous penalites against the Stormers scrum (Blues were pushing every scrum before the ball was in and offside play at lineout drives); however, the Stormers players must take a good look at themselves in the broken mirror today.

Joe Pietersen was rubbish. Except for one good line break his kicking for touch from penalties was poor and unacceptable. I mention it last week in my blog that it still bloggles my mind why they don’t kick torpedos. You have to try and get maximum distance as 5-10 meters is the difference between a successful drive-try from a lineout. Not kicking out is a schoolboy error.

Dewald Duvanhage se lugskoppies in die kassie was net so power. Sy tegniek was verkeerd. Sy geplante voet was te direk gedraai na die teenstanders. Jy skopvoet moet ‘n effens agter toe swaai he en jou voet moet opwaarts wees. Te min afstand was die probleem. Daai skoppies moet nie binne 10 meter afkom nie.

Die leemte van ‘n wereldklas skakelpaar bly die Stormers se grootste tekortkoming. Peter Grant (ongelukkig beseer) is goed genoeg op die vlak maar as jy hierdie toernooi wil wen moet jy ‘n speler met die X-faktor he; of aanvallende vaardighede of skopvaardighede. Allister Coetzee moes ‘groter balle’ gehad het en Timo Swiel vanjaar betrek het! Gary van Aswegen het goeie oomblikke en verdedig goed, maar die Stormers kort die X-faktor generaal!

Hanteringsfoute, hoogvatte, verbroude eerste duikslae,  kassieskoppies (Bryan Habana) in jou eie gebied wanneer dit ‘n groter risiko faktor is, was fataal. Strafskoppe veral in die eerste helfte moet gekorrel word. Wen eers die oorlog voor jy will beindruk met tierlantyntjies.

Duane Vermeulen, Jean de Villiers en Juan de Jongh is ‘n moet vir die Groen en Goud later vanjaar. Andries Bekker het ook nie sy gelyke nie, en hopelik sal Heyneke hom teruglok voor die ‘holy grail’.

Ek glo die Stormers het nogsteeds ‘n besliste kans om die Top 6 te haal, maar dan sal hul nou die lou-warmer Waratahs en die avontuurlike Rebelle moet klop. Ook sal hul moet hoop dat ‘n hele paar ander uitslae in hul guns sal tel. Moontlik, beslis.

The Stormers are still under the pump and playing the Blues is always a ‘on the day’ thing. The Blues is almost like the Warathas in the sense that when the season kicks off, they are reckoned to make the play offs. Sir John Kirwan and Sir Graham Henry has brought some Blues pride back and are bleeding a lot of new talent.

They play an attracitve style of rugby with Rene Ranger their most lethal ’gunslinger’. They have the experience of a ‘smaller’ Piri Weepu behind the ‘oven’ and a stable, but, not enforcing pack.

Dit is hier waar die Stormers die oorhand kan kry. Die Stormers moet hul wurg in die vaste fassette. Andries Bekker se teenwoordigheid sal dit moeilik maak vir die Blues in die lynstane, al het hul vir Ali ‘Bakkies-wannabee’ Williams. Die Stormers se skrums was vanjaar by tye meer as opgewasse en het menigte ander sogenaamde ‘beter’ skrumpakke ore aangesit. Tog het hul ook by tye in die hek geduik.

Albei spanne se verdediging is soos die Berlyn se muur. Dit gaan harde werk kos maar selfs die Berlynse muur het ook geval. Die Blues sal met flair en avontuurlike agterspel probeer wen. Die Stormers sal met hul meer konserwatiewe rugby van ‘speel in die opponente se helfte’ hul probeer smoor. Verwag hier en daar dalk ‘n teenaanval maar niks uit die Stormtroepe se eie 22m nie.

Wat egter pla is die onvermoe van veral Joe Pietersen se skoppe uithand om meters te wen. Die gebruik van die ‘veiliger’ rugbyliga en AFL tegniek van skoppe ipv outydse torpedos, bring bittermin verligting by seevlak. Dit was soms, wel gedoen deur Gio Aplon (met sy hotklou) na die regterkantse kantlyn te laat skop, en Joe na die linkerkant sin, maar dit moet die norm wees en nie uitsondering nie. dit is tog logika maar dit is verbasend dat die ‘gurus’ wat groot sakke vol Rande verdien, dit nie besef nie. Sonder om my eie beuel te blaas: ek het in 2010 dit vir Robbie Fleck uitgewys hier in ‘n kuierplek in Surfers, en hy het nie gedink dit sal veel verskil maak nie! Regtig, Fleckie? Toegegee, Fleckie weet ook nie veel van skop af nie, want dit was nooit deel van sy arsenaal nie!

Die Stormers het al roemryke oorwinnings in Auckland behaal; en wie sal ooit Hendrik Gerber se ‘killer tackle’ vergeet toe hy vir Carlos Spencer seergemaak het. Hy het mos toe opgestaan en vir Carlos gevra: “where is king Carlos now?”! Daai duikslag het nes Joggie Jansen teen die All Blacks in 1970, die wedstryd geswaai!

Vandag se wedstryd is in Norht Harbour, waar menigte SAFFAS tans hul wortels geskied het, so dit kan in die Capies se guns tel, dws as daai Bul-ondersteuners daar vandag hul ligblou vir gestreepte blou sal verruil!

You know your balls might end up on the guillotine (again) when you predict more wins for the away teams than homeground advantage! Good luck!

Balle op die Guillotine: my keuses in bold

Blues vs Stormers

Rebels vs Chiefs

Highlanders vs Sharks

Force vs Reds

Kings vs Warathas

Bulls vs Hurricanes

Brumbies vs Crusaders